Prologue
The sky over Kalareth still clung to the last breath of night.
Darian Virell sat alone by the tall arched window of his family’s grand estate, watching the darkness slowly give way to dawn.
Below, the world slept in silence.
But not for long.
A faint golden light began to rise over the horizon, slipping through the window and brushing against his face. It should have felt peaceful.
It didn’t.
In that moment, he was nothing more than what the world believed him to be—
the second son of a wealthy merchant.
A name without weight.
A life without direction.
Always standing in the shadow of his elder brother.
Yet something felt… wrong.
The halls of wealth, the endless trade, the polished smiles of nobles—it all felt distant, like a life that was never truly his.
Like he was living someone else’s story.
His gaze slowly drifted to the table beside him.
An old map lay there.
Worn.
Faded.
Forgotten.
Or at least… it should have been.
Darian leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing.
There was something about it.
Something he couldn’t explain.
The air around him felt colder.
Quieter.
As if the world itself was holding its breath.
They said it was only a legend.
Something passed through stories, not reality.
But legends did not call to you.
And yet—
He heard it.
Soft.
Distant.
A whisper carried on the edge of silence.
Calling his name.
Darian froze.
For a moment, he questioned it.
His mind.
His imagination.
But deep down…
He knew.
This was real.
Slowly, almost without thinking, he reached out.
His fingers hovered just above the surface of the map.
The moment stretched.
Then—
He touched it.
A faint glow flickered beneath his hand.
The lines shifted.
Moved.
Revealing something that had never been there before.
Darian’s breath caught.
Because in that instant—
He understood.
This was no ordinary map.
And whatever it was…
It had chosen him.
What do you think the map is hiding? 👀
